2010 BABIES SKIPPING SHEDS

[OkeeteeMom]

"Big Cat (http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=106662)" and "Cassandra (http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=106441)" have NOT shed since December 17th and 21st! EDIT: Both of these babies are 2010's.

Big Cat keeps eating like a pig. Cassandra has refused her last two meals (March 2nd and 8th). Neither are showing any signs of even being blue...which of course I may have missed. They're both acting perfectly normal...I got fresh poo from both yesterday. Cassandra was even spied on last night no doubt, trying to find a new place to get stuck. :-poke:

I know I can't make them shed, so I'm not really worried, but should I be concerned? Do shed cycles often get all whacked out from Winter? :shrugs:

Their Vivs are completely set for shed as far as humidity, moist hides and such.

Thanks for your replies!

[bitsy]

I see this with my adults. Most will shed 4-5 times per year, March to November. Checking my records I can see they have an occasional shed in January and February but these are pretty unusual.

My (very quick) check doesn't throw up any sheds in December at all. I hadn't realised that, so thanks for asking the question! Interesting stuff.

[OkeeteeMom]

Thanks Bitsy. I'm curious because these two are 2010's.

[Nanci]

Do you think Cassandra is in the clear stage? It's weird that she would skip two meals unless she is blue.

[Nanci]

And, could they have shed and you didn't know, and the shed is under the aspen or under the water bowl or in a hide?

[OkeeteeMom]

That's what I'm assuming Nanci. It feels to me like that's what's happening with her.
Is it weird that babies would skip 2.5-3 months of shedding? :shrugs:

EDIT: Nope, no sheds. I clean out their Viv's really well each week. I saw nothing yesterday...and I was specifically looking for sheds. Of course...now I'll go check again.

[Nanci]

Yes, but what can you do? Nothing. Are they gaining weight?

[OkeeteeMom]

Yes, they're gaining. Big Cat especially...but both are gaining.
Thanks Nanci.

[Dreamsnake]

I don't know how I keep my snakes on the same cycle; after checking their charts Nim shed on Jan 29 and Zar shed Feb 1. I had to bathe them every day for a week to counteract New Mexico's dry climate. I let Zar soak on a soggy wash cloth for about twenty minutes each time before letting him slither about my hands and in my hair. It always takes him the longest to shed since he's so lazy and wont soak himself like Nim.

[OkeeteeMom]

So I checked on Big Cat today as he's been hiding out, and YAY...at least he's FINALLY blue. He hasn't shed since December 17, 2010!

[cornsnakeforsale_com]

I've got one 2010 baby that has had lots of issues shedding. It missed a shed or two and visually I could see its skin getting worse. More like it had to shed and just decided it didn't want to. So I put it in a "shed box" (deli cup with good sized rough rocks and lots of moisture) and it shed right away. Next month, same thing. It shed in less than a few hours of being put there. Since then it has shed perfect for me. You might try that out and see if you change its mind.

[OkeeteeMom]

Thanks! Actually...both babies have had shed boxes all along...and 'rough stuff'. It's been weird.

[OkeeteeMom]

Big Cat FINALLY shed yesterday! It's his first since mid-December...sheesh :shrugs:

[OkeeteeMom]

Cassandra is FINALLY in deep blue!

[OkeeteeMom]

YAY...Cassandra FINALLY shed and it was a perfect one, too! Her shed looks like an empty snake, head, jaw and all (pix coming today). Her last was in December 2010.

I really think the reason that both my babies skipped FOUR months was because of the ambient air temps of Winter. The room they're in stayed around 60F...that's all I can figure.

Thanks everyone that replied in here...hopefully more people will be helped/comforted if they have the same issue.